Today, I will discuss dried ginger and fresh ginger as mentioned in the classic texts. First, let’s talk about dried ginger.
Let’s first look at dried ginger. The original text states: “Dried ginger, flavor is pungent and warm, primarily treats chest fullness, cough, and counterflow of qi, warms the middle, stops bleeding, induces sweating, expels wind-dampness, treats intestinal masses and diarrhea. Fresh is especially good. Long-term use eliminates foul odor, descends qi, and opens the spirit. Grows in mountain valleys.“
We see that dried ginger has a pungent and warm flavor. This herb is warm in nature, with a pungent taste. Warmth, as we know, is associated with spring qi, which has the characteristic of rising. Therefore, dried ginger can elevate the yang qi of the liver and spleen.
The main properties of dried ginger are its pungent and warm flavor, with a slight sweetness. When discussing dried ginger, we must consider its meridian entry; dried ginger enters the middle earth (spleen and stomach). The pungent flavor enters the lungs, and dried ginger can also dispel cold phlegm from the lungs.
It primarily treats chest fullness and counterflow of qi. Why does one experience chest fullness in general?
The three yin meridians run from the feet to the chest, while the three yang meridians run from the head to the feet. The three yin meridians represent the upward movement of the lower source of liver and spleen yang qi, which is regulated by the middle earth. The liver is constrained within the kidney’s original yang. The three yang meridians, which run from the head to the feet, require the yang qi to descend, primarily concerning the lungs and stomach.
When the lung and stomach qi descend, combined with the kidney qi’s closure, this chest fullness occurs. If the clear qi does not rise, it leads to nausea and diarrhea; if the turbid qi does not descend, it leads to distension. This chest fullness is a type of distension, indicating that the three yang meridians are not descending properly, leading to insufficient yang qi, particularly in the lesser yang. The first point to note is the sensation of heat.
However, this chest fullness is predominantly a yin condition. Why is this so? In humans, the three yang meridians are meridians that also carry organ qi. The organ qi relies on our daily intake of food and water, and this qi from food must rely on the descent of the three yang qi.
Only when the organ qi circulates can it descend. If the fluids and essences in the organs cannot descend, this leads to the lungs reversing, with water rising to the plateau, and the middle earth being filled with dampness. This is the fullness of the middle organ, which is also due to the yang qi of the three yang meridians not descending, causing the turbid yin to rise.
Dried ginger enters the lung qi, primarily opening it. Only with opening can there be descent, thus it descends the turbid yin. “Chest fullness, cough, and counterflow of qi“ indicates its regulation of the middle state, where the yang qi of the liver and spleen must warm and rise before the turbid yin of the lung and stomach can descend. This is a process akin to a water wheel turning in the middle earth.
Generally, when discussing dried ginger, one cannot avoid mentioning ginseng. Coughing can be of many types, but Zhang Zhongjing primarily used dried ginger, xixin, and wuweizi for external coughs and internal injuries, which is a type of modification.
Why add dried ginger, xixin, and wuweizi, with dried ginger as the main ingredient? This is because the turbid qi does not descend and is obstructed in the lungs, leading to fullness and stagnation of lung qi, which causes cough and counterflow of qi. To treat this phenomenon, one must first descend the turbid yin and warm the spleen yang.
As we know, to descend the turbid yin, dried ginger is not as effective as fresh ginger. However, dried ginger can regulate the middle state and warm the spleen yang, which is not something fresh ginger can achieve. Therefore, the combination of herbs chosen is dried ginger, xixin, and wuweizi.
As for fresh ginger, it primarily descends the turbid yin, descends qi, and opens the spirit. This is its main function. Fresh ginger is mainly used to treat nausea and the obstruction of organ qi due to turbid yin, leading to such symptoms. “Warms the middle and stops bleeding“—there are many bleeding conditions. Mr. Zheng Shouquan, founder of the Huoshen school, treated many patients with bleeding using dried ginger, achieving excellent results.
Especially now, many chronic diseases, digestive diseases leading to bleeding, and liver diseases resulting in a series of hematemesis all require the method of warming the middle and stopping bleeding. Why? As we all know, blood is the essence of nourishment, and within the essence of nourishment lies yang qi. Liver yang is easily moved and does not settle.
Thus, generally, stopping bleeding through the warming school has been passed down to mean that blood should be still and not move. The treatment of bleeding is primarily from clearing heat and cooling blood, then slightly adding blood-activating herbs for treatment, without understanding what true bleeding is.
True bleeding occurs when the turbid yin rises and obstructs the essence of blood, leading to the stagnation of blood and causing it to not return. Therefore, after dried ginger regulates the middle state, the turbid yin qi gathers, and the three yang qi naturally stabilizes, leading to effective treatment of bleeding conditions.
This “sweating“ is the same.
“Expels wind-dampness and alleviates pain“. Look at this “expels wind-dampness and alleviates pain“. In treating wind-cold-dampness, modern medication rarely uses dried ginger. However, wind, cold, and dampness combine to form pain. What is the root cause?
First, there must be wind evil; wind evil is the most fundamental. Then, with wind evil, cold and dampness mix together. However, the key point in treating diseases is dampness evil. Without the attachment of dampness evil, the other evils cannot stagnate. If there is only wind pain, it comes and goes quickly.
Heat pain is the same; only when dampness stagnates can it become chronic and difficult to heal. Therefore, the key point in treating wind-cold-dampness pain is to open and transform the middle earth. Once the dampness in the middle earth is transformed, this type of pain will naturally be resolved at its root, and then corresponding methods to nourish blood and soften tendons and liver can be used, making treatment much more effective.
“Intestinal masses and diarrhea“—this is self-explanatory. It warms and elevates the yang qi of the liver and spleen. What are intestinal masses and diarrhea? This corresponds to the previous “chest fullness, cough, and counterflow of qi“. The Inner Canon states that when the clear qi is down, it leads to nausea and diarrhea; when the turbid yin is up, it leads to distension. This is all because the middle earth cannot pivot, and the clear yang of the liver and spleen cannot rise, while the turbid qi of the lung and stomach cannot descend.
“Fresh is especially good“—this refers not to fresh ginger but to dried ginger. It primarily refers to the aged ginger, which is different from fresh ginger. Fresh ginger is generally new ginger.
Next, let’s discuss fresh ginger. After briefly discussing both, we can compare them. “Fresh ginger, flavor is pungent and slightly warm, non-toxic, long-term use eliminates foul odor, descends qi, and opens the spirit.“
This “eliminates foul odor and opens the spirit“ is similar to dried ginger. The main difference between fresh ginger and dried ginger is that fresh ginger has a stronger pungent flavor but lacks the gentle warmth. However, since it is an annual plant, its pungent flavor is more complete, used for opening and resolving toxins and dispelling turbid qi. Dried ginger, on the other hand, is the remaining part after the perennial ginger has produced offspring, and its pungent flavor has dissipated significantly.
Pungent is used to moisten; many have heard that pungent herbs are drying and can harm yin. But why is it said that pungent can moisten? It opens the pores and promotes fluids. Sometimes, when lung qi is obstructed, it cannot reach the skin, leading to dryness in the hands and feet. In this case, both dried ginger and fresh ginger are quite effective. Generally, dried ginger is used to open and transform the middle earth.
Pungent can moisten; once the lung, as the source of water, opens, the kidney qi can then be stored. At this time, it can also nourish the kidney channels from another aspect, which is the concept of pungent moisten.
“slightly warm“. This slight warmth, when categorized by flavor, corresponds to the wind-wood of the jueyin. Slight warmth indicates a little fire. As we know, there is a formula called Wendan Decoction, which uses: Erchen, Zhu Ru, Zhi Ke, and fresh ginger.
In this Wendan Decoction, the largest quantity is fresh ginger, which is five taels, double that of the other herbs. Fresh ginger is the main herb of Wendan Decoction; without fresh ginger, there is no warming of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is the qi of the wood and lesser yang, warming and rising, hence it is called Wendan Decoction.
Look at this formula; aside from fresh ginger, most of the other herbs are neutral or slightly cool. How can these herbs warm the gallbladder? The foot lesser yang gallbladder meridian runs from the head to the feet; fresh ginger can descend turbid qi, and once the turbid yin descends, the hand lesser yang sanjiao meridian’s yang qi can slightly warm and rise. This is the key to this formula, and everyone will have experience using Wendan Decoction frequently.
Another notable formula using fresh ginger is Zhenwu Decoction, which treats water qi rising and earth not controlling water. Fresh ginger is used because the earth does not control water; this water qi arises from the lower source. Fresh ginger can stabilize the turbid yin qi of the organs, allowing the turbid yin to be cleared. This is the function of fresh ginger.
If the lower source is indeed cold and the cold water qi is activated, it is like the symptoms of Si Ni Decoction. If the cold water qi is excessive, Si Ni Decoction should still be used.
Additionally, there is Wuzhuyu Decoction, which uses Wuzhuyu, ginseng, jujube, and fresh ginger. The amount of fresh ginger in Wuzhuyu Decoction is also quite large. The function of Wuzhuyu Decoction is to treat three yin counterflow, such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Wuzhuyu Decoction addresses the counterflow of three yin, leading to symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Next, let’s compare dried ginger and fresh ginger. Why can some formulas only use dried ginger while others can only use fresh ginger? The function of fresh ginger is more pronounced in driving out evils. Why is it effective in driving out evils? Because it is pungent and dispersive, it has a strong moving effect, which can clear the turbid yin stagnation in the meridians and organs.
Dried ginger, on the other hand, is gentler; it can warm and disperse cold dampness, leading to the gentle storage of the qi of the five organs. The qi of the five organs stores essence and rises quickly; when the essence is stored, it can be developed. This is the function of the organs. The organ qi is the passage for receiving and transforming the five grains.
Humans are like this; externally, there are the three yin and three yang meridians, and internally, there are the five organs and six bowels. The meridians and organs are two levels, one superficial and one deep.
We use herbs similarly; when we fall ill, the first thing is external pathogens. The heavens have six qi, and when the six qi is excessive, we also have six qi. This six qi interacts with the external six qi, leading to mutual responses. When the external cold water qi is strong, it resonates with our internal cold water qi, resulting in symptoms like swelling and distension. This is the interaction of the six qi.
External pathogens arise from excessive external six qi, leading to excessive or insufficient internal six qi.
When the six meridians are affected, it is a transmission from one meridian to another. The qi of the six meridians is like the Yangtze River, flowing endlessly, and it cannot stop. Only when the pathogenic factors settle in the organs and connect with the internal organ mechanisms can the disease process stagnate, leading to prolonged conditions like Taiyang syndrome or Yangming syndrome.
Dried ginger, as mentioned in the classic texts, “primarily treats chest fullness, cough, and counterflow of qi, warms the middle, stops bleeding, induces sweating, expels wind-dampness, treats intestinal masses and diarrhea, and fresh is especially good.“ Since you are studying the classic texts, the first step is to memorize the original text. Once you have memorized the original text, you can understand and repeatedly experience the essence of the herb.
Look at the current functions of dried ginger; its primary function is to warm the spleen and stomach. The middle earth must be warmed; how do we transform the qi of food and water we consume daily?
This relies on the original yang, which rises and moves, allowing the spleen yang to transform food and water, leading to the rise of fluids. At this time, dried ginger can assist in the transformation of dampness in the middle earth and spleen.
Modern people often consume refined foods with high nutritional content, leading to thick and heavy essence. Coupled with excessive daily worries, the three yang qi is not easily stored in the middle earth, resulting in a lack of fire in the middle earth, which cannot transform. Therefore, the middle earth is often in a state of cold dampness, leading to many diseases.
First, we must warm the middle earth. Regardless of whether the surface is blood-heat or other dryness symptoms, we must first warm the middle earth. Once the dampness in the middle earth transforms, then we can use nourishing yin or cooling blood herbs, allowing them to work according to their nature. If the dampness in the middle earth is stagnant, no matter how many herbs are taken, they will still stagnate the middle earth, leading to a gradual worsening of symptoms.
Therefore, can nourishing yin herbs be used? Many herbs like Shudi, Danggui, Ejiao, and He Shou Wu are thick and rich. If you are accustomed to the Huoshen school, using these herbs may lead to doubts about their effectiveness. However, these herbs are indeed effective.
The foundation of these herbs is that they can only be used when the middle earth can transform. They can gather the essence of the organs and descend the virtual fire of the three yang. If the dampness in the middle earth does not transform, then these herbs will only increase the obstruction between the upper and lower, making it even more difficult for the three yang to descend and the three yin to stagnate.
Dried ginger is a very useful herb. In the past, in clinical practice, I encountered many cases of dryness and dry eye syndrome. Nowadays, many doctors prefer to use the Zhibai Dihuang Wan route, but this is not necessarily the case. Most of these patients need to warm and transform the middle earth, just like the transpiration of trees. Without sufficient sunlight, the water you drink cannot be transformed, and the pores and fluids cannot open.
Therefore, dried ginger is needed to warm the middle earth. After warming, it is appropriate to add some nourishing herbs like Bai Shao and Sheng Di. As noted in modern literature by Mr. Peng Ziyi, his understanding of ginger and cinnamon is still insufficient. He believes these two herbs are too drying and harsh, leading to less clinical use. However, he does not realize that modern people often have cold dampness in the middle earth, and using ginger and cinnamon is not excessive. Therefore, it is reasonable that nine out of ten people are suitable for ginger and cinnamon.
Dried ginger has the effect of warming the middle earth, while fresh ginger is different. For example, when we catch a cold, we drink ginger sugar water. Fresh ginger has a dispersive effect. The dispersive effect of fresh ginger means that in modern times, it is often used to treat water diseases, such as edema and phlegm, by adding more fresh ginger to disperse.
Why is this so? The essence of food enters the stomach, circulates in the spleen, and returns to the lungs. The essence of food is distributed throughout the body, which is called essence. As long as there is stagnation, it is called dampness.
When there is too much stagnation, the thin part is called fluid, and the thick part is called phlegm. This is the principle of phlegm and fluid formation. Therefore, to treat phlegm and fluid, the root cause lies in the spleen and stomach. If the spleen and stomach cannot transform, it leads to stagnation of lung and stomach qi.
Dried ginger warms and transforms the spleen and stomach (the root cause of phlegm and fluid can be treated), while fresh ginger is pungent and dispersive. Since the phlegm and fluid are obstructed in the meridians and organs, fresh ginger is needed to both warm the stomach and disperse. Therefore, many water diseases require the addition of fresh ginger.
Not only because fresh ginger warms and disperses, but also because once it disperses, it opens the water pathways, regulates water, and benefits qi. Once the lung qi opens, the water pathways can flow, and the water qi gradually returns to the lower source. This is the concept of pungent moisten.
Some students ask, can dried ginger treat gout? Gout patients often experience pain in the small joints of the limbs. What do joints belong to? All joints belong to the liver and kidney. Joints are bones, and the gaps in bones are where the essence of cold water flows. The land of the lesser yin, the gaps in the hundred vessels, all belong to the lesser yin. When there is stagnation in the joints, the first point is that the lesser yin qi is too closed and cannot open. Therefore, we must start by warming and transforming the three yin. As for whether dried ginger can treat gout, we do not say so. Gout can have many situations, and it is difficult to say whether dried ginger alone can cure it.
Some say that stagnation in the lesser yin’s gaps may lead to heat, but to warm it, we also need to add herbs that promote circulation, such as fresh ginger, and even use Ma Huang and Xixin.
Dried ginger and fresh ginger are commonly used herbs in the Huoshen school. A handful of ginger and cinnamon earns the name of Huoshen. Dried ginger is the most widely used. Aside from the fact that modern people generally consume rich foods and have spirits that do not settle, leading to easy dampness in the middle earth, there is also the fact that as long as we live in this world, we possess a certain yang qi. This yang qi is continuously generated, which is the root of yang qi. Therefore, the decline of life is a layer-by-layer depletion, leading to the saying of seven losses and eight benefits. In general, many diseases, especially in many patients, the three yin diseases, where the three yin are cold below and the three yang do not descend above, most patients experience cold below and heat above, or internal cold and external heat.
At this time, many schools and doctors only see external heat and upper heat, leading to treatments that clear heat and cool blood, resulting in the treatment of the warming school, which has caused significant harm over the past two to three hundred years.
Many diseases can be temporarily improved through simple methods of nourishing yin, clearing heat, and benefiting qi and nourishing blood, leading to the descent of floating yang and improvement of the disease. However, as long as the spleen yang is trapped, the disease will worsen. This is the fundamental point of the conflict between the Huoshen school and the warming school.
As long as we understand this principle, we can say that treating diseases is a unique knowledge. This is the mark of a good doctor. If in clinical practice, one only pursues efficacy, they are not a good doctor.
In many situations, if you temporarily treat the disease, the condition may actually worsen, and you may not realize it. Such examples are often seen. For instance, in the case of major diseases like diabetes, from the perspective of nourishing yin, it does indeed lead to temporary improvement of many symptoms.
However, this nourishing yin is only a temporary measure. Once the rising and descending are adjusted, we must follow up with warming and elevating the lower source. If the lower source cannot be warmed and transformed, the disease cannot be fundamentally cured; improvement is only temporary.
Many people do not understand this. During treatment, if they use some warming yang herbs repeatedly, they may see some effects, but they do not understand the effects, and they may experience a reaction to the disease. After taking a course of medicine, they may feel worse and then turn to find another doctor for some nourishing yin and cooling herbs.
Of course, at this time, taking some nourishing yin and cooling herbs may feel very good because, as Mr. Zheng Shouquan said, if you stop treatment before reaching the goal, you will only gain minor benefits. You may feel good temporarily, but there will be hidden dangers later.
If the doctor does not understand how to achieve efficacy, thinking that the medication is appropriate, and continues to increase the dosage, the disease will only worsen over time, and serious symptoms will soon appear.
For dried and fresh ginger, I will stop here. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.
◆Question: “What does ‘open the spirit’ mean?“
■Answer: What is spirit? The heart governs the spirit. The spirit cannot tolerate even a trace of yin qi. When we usually have turbid yin rising, we often feel dizzy and sluggish in our reactions. Our responses to things sometimes mean that you do not need to understand or differentiate; just looking at it can naturally imprint many things in your mind, and you will naturally produce some differentiated responses. This is not the function of the spirit.
If the three yang qi, as stated in the Inner Canon: “When the sky is bright, the sun and moon are not bright.“ Now let’s explain this sentence. What does it mean when the sky is bright but the sun and moon are not bright?
The sky being bright refers to the three yang qi, the yang qi. When the three yang qi rises but cannot descend, this is called the sky being bright, while the sun and moon represent the essence of the human body, the spirit.
Only when the turbid yin and the turbid qi of the three yang descend can the sky be clear, and there will be no scorching heat. Therefore, fresh ginger has the effect of descending qi and opening the spirit.
Many patients experience symptoms like rhinitis, runny nose, buzzing in the ears, blurred vision, and bad breath. Both fresh and dried ginger can be used to treat these diseases.
◆Question: “What is the difference in usage between roasted ginger and dried ginger?“
■Answer: Dried ginger is clinically divided into roasted ginger, baked ginger, and ginger carbon, which have different properties. Baked ginger is not treated with open flame but is slowly roasted with low heat. Roasted ginger is a deeper processing than baked ginger, while ginger carbon is burned to ash. In clinical practice, baked ginger is generally used.
For example, there is a formula called Xiaoyao Wan, which uses baked ginger. In treating patients with bleeding, roasted ginger is often used more. Ginger carbon has very little effect, and it is recommended that everyone use roasted ginger instead.
Why is it necessary to process ginger in clinical practice? Fresh ginger is inherently pungent and warm, and its pungent nature is active. In many patients, the three yang qi does not descend, and the organ essence is already depleted. At this time, the yin essence is insufficient, and the yang qi is prone to float.
However, the middle earth has dampness that does not transform. In this case, if warming and drying herbs like ginger and cinnamon are used, the yang qi will definitely disperse and not gather. If the yang qi disperses and does not gather, it cannot be stored, and the virtual cold of the organs will not be warmed. Therefore, at this time, the choice between roasted ginger and baked ginger is to use low heat to gently gather the floating fire. Generally, this is for patients with weaker constitutions, thinner bodies, and depleted essence.
◆Question: “What is the relationship between dried ginger and fresh ginger?“
■Answer: The ginger we usually eat is fresh ginger, which can sprout. Over time, in late autumn and winter, this ginger will slowly sprout. After leaving it for a long time, the sprouts are cut off.
After replanting, the ginger that grows the following year is fresh ginger again. The ginger that has had its sprouts removed is called mother ginger, while the sprouted ginger is still called fresh ginger. The dried ginger we use is the ginger that has sprouted, and this dried ginger can sprout again after being harvested for the second year.
Fresh ginger treats the stomach, while dried ginger treats the spleen. This is a general statement. While this statement is helpful for understanding, it can also be misleading. Fresh ginger treats the stomach; what does this mean? Why is it said that fresh ginger treats the stomach? This is a rather vague statement.
Dried ginger treats the spleen; why is it said that dried ginger treats the spleen? Because dried ginger has a more robust and gentle flavor, it primarily enters the organ qi and elevates the yang of the liver and spleen. Therefore, it is said that dried ginger treats the spleen, while fresh ginger has a more dispersive and opening nature, entering the lungs and stomach, dispelling turbid yin and descending the turbid qi of the organs. Thus, it is said that fresh ginger treats the stomach. This statement has some truth, but it can be misleading.
◆Question: “Is it not advisable to eat ginger at night?“
■Answer: It depends on the time. Generally, at night, from nine to eleven o’clock, this is the time of the pig, when yin qi is at its peak, and yang qi needs to be stored. At this time, eating fresh ginger may activate yang qi, which can be said to mobilize it upwards, making it difficult for yang qi to settle down, which is not conducive to the descent of yang qi. Therefore, it is recommended to eat less ginger at night.
Of course, this is relative to the general population. However, for some patients who originally have heavy cold dampness, after the pig hour at night, the cold dampness becomes even heavier, leading to symptoms like chest tightness and fatigue. In these cases, eating some dried ginger and fresh ginger at night is still quite beneficial. This varies from person to person.
◆Question: “Can ginger be eaten in winter?“
■Answer: Fresh ginger can be eaten in winter, but not in large quantities; it is better to eat less. Winter is a time for storage, and eating fresh ginger is not appropriate. The ancients used to say, “Eat radishes in winter and ginger in summer.“
In winter, the qi of the six meridians is primarily focused on storage, and the qi of the organs is also focused on storage. When yang qi is stored internally, it is easy to lead to stagnation. Eating radishes can help open the organ qi and facilitate the expulsion of turbid qi, so radishes are much better than fresh ginger in winter.
Fresh ginger has a strong dispersive effect, suitable for dispersing the six meridians, while in summer, the internal water and dampness are strong, and fresh ginger’s warming and dispersing power is quite effective.
Today, we discussed dried ginger. Since we are discussing dried ginger, everyone should memorize the text of the classic. Only by memorizing it can you continuously experience and improve in clinical practice. Otherwise, learning a little today and a little tomorrow will not provide a solid foundation, and you will not know where to start.
Look again at “Dried ginger, flavor is pungent and warm, primarily treats chest fullness, cough, and counterflow of qi, warms the middle, stops bleeding, induces sweating, expels wind-dampness, treats intestinal masses and diarrhea, and fresh is especially good.“ This must be memorized repeatedly.
This “eliminates foul odor“ refers to what? If the lung and stomach qi does not descend, various odors will emerge from the mouth and nose. This is because the three yang qi cannot descend, and the upper fire is insufficient, leading to the manifestation of turbid yin. Dried ginger regulates the middle state; it is a great general. Of course, many diseases cannot be treated with dried ginger alone; it must be used in conjunction with ginger and cinnamon.
The most common chest fullness and tightness is due to heart disease. The most common cause of chest fullness and tightness due to heart disease is not necessarily treated with dried ginger in clinical practice, as the chest fullness and tightness treated by dried ginger is due to the turbid qi of the middle earth not transforming, leading to the turbid qi of the organs rising. The chest fullness and tightness we commonly encounter in coronary heart disease is primarily due to the rising of lesser yang qi, which is a significant difference between the two.
This often manifests as fullness and tightness in the chest, palpitations, and discomfort in the chest and ribs. This chest fullness must be viewed separately, understanding that it is due to the stagnation of fluids in the lung and stomach, leading to the obstruction of qi and counterflow.
“Stops bleeding in dampness“. In clinical practice, there are many patients with bleeding, but no one dares to use dried ginger. If you do not have the courage to use dried ginger, even using roasted ginger is very effective.
“Induces sweating“. Fresh ginger has a pungent flavor, which naturally enters the middle earth, promotes the flavor of the five grains, and develops the fluids of the five grains, leading to sweating.
“Expels wind-dampness and alleviates pain, intestinal masses and diarrhea“. Intestinal masses and diarrhea occur when the yang qi of the liver and spleen does not rise, leading to the stagnation of clear yang and resulting in nausea and diarrhea. Expelling wind-dampness primarily warms and transforms the dampness in the middle earth. Wind, cold, and dampness cause pain primarily due to dampness evil; without dampness evil, the other evils cannot stagnate.
“Fresh is especially good, long-term use eliminates foul odor“. Fresh indicates that its pungent and warm power is stronger than that of roasted ginger.
Question: “Can women in menopause who experience hot flashes and cold sensations eat Angelica, fresh ginger, and lamb soup?“
Answer: It is hard to say. Eating Angelica, fresh ginger, and lamb soup may lead to more heat because menopause occurs around the age of fifty, when the original qi gradually weakens. The Inner Canon states: “Women at fifty-seven, the yangming pulse weakens above, the face begins to yellow, and hair begins to fall.“
After the age of thirty-five, women’s complexion begins to yellow, and hair starts to fall. Why does the complexion turn yellow? It is because the yangming pulse weakens above. What does it mean when the yangming pulse weakens above? When the body’s yang qi weakens, the three yin and three yang qi will also be insufficient, especially the yangming meridian qi. When the yangming qi is insufficient, it leads to dryness and yellowing of the face, which, in common terms, means that the person is no longer youthful.
At this time, the yangming qi should descend, but it lacks the strength to descend. It stagnates above, leading to dryness and the qi of the lungs and stomach being insufficient. This is the phenomenon of aging. At this time, many people often treat it by clearing heat and nourishing yin, fearing that they will live too long without addressing the fundamental source of warming and nourishing the spleen and kidney.
As you can see, those who are often afraid of cold experience this phenomenon. The yangming qi is above, and it should be stored in the lower source. The yang qi should be stored in the kidney and returned to the lower source. Only then can the cold water qi below be warmed by the yang qi, allowing the cold water to descend. This patient experiences heat above and insufficient yang qi below, leading to cold sensations.
Therefore, patients experiencing hot flashes during menopause should first consume some ginger and cinnamon to warm the lower source. After warming the lower source, they can then consume lamb and other warming foods. I worry that the amount of fresh ginger in the Angelica and fresh ginger lamb soup may not be sufficient. If it is sufficient, it may still be effective, and adding some Fuzi can also be beneficial. The combination of Angelica and lamb nourishes the blood, and when combined, it can be effective.
Older adults are very prone to heat and often experience the phenomenon of heat above and cold below. In modern times, the warming school primarily focuses on nourishing yin and clearing heat, which is a major school of thought that has caused significant harm.
Once everyone understands this point, they will not be swayed by the pointless debates between the warming school and the Huoshen school.
When we talk about health preservation, how to preserve health and achieve longevity is to gather the yang qi that has been depleted above and irrigate it back into the kidneys, nourishing the kidneys. Only in this way can we achieve continuous life and delay aging.
As for the elixirs consumed by Taoist immortals, at a basic level, most of them are warming yang herbs. Arsenic, stalactites, and other substances are all extremely warming, surpassing the heat of Fuzi. Their warming nature disperses the turbid yin of the body, gradually breaking down the yin qi and allowing the virtual yang to gather.
◆Question: “If I eat Fuzhong Li Zhong Wan at night, will I have trouble sleeping?“
Answer: It depends on your constitution. Everyone’s constitution is different, so it is hard to explain why you cannot sleep at night. Is it because the yang enters the yin? Why does the yang qi not enter the yin? There are many situations; it may be blocked in the lesser yin meridian rather than the yangming meridian.
◆Question: “How to treat the yellowing and aging of the face due to insufficient yangming qi?“
Answer: Warm the yang, warm the middle and lower source yang, use Si Ni Decoction! However, this may not be very effective. Why? Because for ordinary people, they have to deal with many external matters, and the pace of life is fast, leading to tension. The three yang qi easily float outside.
When it is finally time to rest at night, if they stay up late, the qi cannot settle down. Therefore, if you use Si Ni Decoction or any warming yang herbs, once the yang qi is warmed up, it can descend. However, if you do not give it a chance to settle, it will lead to hair loss and yellowing of the face.
When encountering such patients, one must warm and descend simultaneously. While warming yang, there must also be a descending aspect; this is unavoidable, and sometimes treating diseases can be quite helpless.
◆Question: “Can Si Ni Decoction be used in winter for those who are afraid of cold?“
Answer: Not necessarily. The term ‘Si Ni’ refers to whether it is deficient and reversed. If the essence and blood cannot warm the limbs, is it because the essence and blood are blocked inside, or is it because the essence and blood are deficient and cold and cannot reach the limbs? If it is primarily due to stagnation, then Si Ni Decoction should not be used, as it will definitely lead to some symptoms of fire reversal. If it is purely due to three yin deficiency and cold, then Si Ni Decoction will definitely be effective.
Dried ginger treats chest fullness and tightness due to the turbid qi of the lung and stomach not descending, while cardiovascular diseases are different. The fullness and tightness of the chest treated by dried ginger is due to the turbid qi of the middle earth not transforming, leading to the turbid qi of the organs rising. The fullness and tightness we commonly encounter in coronary heart disease is primarily due to the rising of lesser yang qi, which is a significant difference between the two.
◆Question: What is the difference between dried ginger and sand ginger?
■Answer: The difference between dried ginger and sand ginger is significant. Dried ginger is sweet and warm, entering the middle earth. Sand ginger is pungent and drying, with a more intense dispersive effect. The pungent flavor of sand ginger reaches a certain level, and in traditional Chinese medicine, it is said that great pungency leads to great opening. When yang is extreme, it generates yin. The pungency of sand ginger can also seal and store yang qi, thus entering the spleen and kidney meridians, sealing the yang qi of the lower source.
◆Question: Is coronary heart disease related to the heart protector meridian?
■Answer: First, coronary heart disease is a term from Western medicine, which does not correspond well to traditional Chinese medicine. The heart protector meridian primarily refers to the foot jueyin liver meridian running from the foot to the chest, which governs elevation, while the hand jueyin heart protector meridian runs from the chest to the hand, which governs descent. Many people experience chest discomfort and fullness. This feeling of discomfort in the heart is often related to the heart protector meridian, as the fire of the heart protector cannot descend.
Everyone can observe our pulse. Generally, the pulse is discussed in terms of the hand taiyin lung pulse, with the front nine cun and the back one cun defining our current pulse. However, many people’s pulse does not follow the hand taiyin lung meridian but rather slants inward toward the hand jueyin heart protector meridian.
The so-called inward slanting pulse is quite common nowadays, indicating that the foot jueyin liver meridian’s upward movement is not smooth, leading to the hand jueyin heart protector meridian’s descent being ineffective. Therefore, the fire of the hand jueyin heart protector meridian is trapped above, and the hand taiyin lung pulse cannot rise directly. This situation is quite common.
Is there a connection between the heart protector meridian and coronary heart disease? It is hard to say. Coronary heart disease is a disease of the blood vessels. If there is stagnation in the blood vessels, you can see that Zhi Gan Cao Decoction starts from the yin aspect, gradually dissolving it, and then adding clear wine.
Next time, we will discuss Gui Zhi and also touch on cough and asthma. Everyone knows that external medicine does not treat skin diseases, and internal medicine does not treat asthma. In fact, asthma is not difficult to treat; it is just that the warming school has become popular, and the previous warming and tonifying school has led to confusion in treatment methods, making it difficult to treat asthma. In fact, using classic formulas to treat it is very effective.
◆Question: Is it suitable for children to drink fresh ginger water every morning?
■Answer: Definitely not suitable. Drinking fresh ginger water or ginger sugar water should be based on each person’s constitution. Even if a child has cold dampness in the middle and upper jiao, it should only be used temporarily. Fresh ginger has a strong dispersive nature, and since children’s original yang qi is relatively round, but their yin essence is insufficient, frequently consuming such drying and harsh substances can easily deplete them.
◆Question: What situations can lead to early beats?
■Answer: There are many causes of early beats. In traditional Chinese medicine, early beats refer to various pulse types such as Jie, Cu, Dai, Wei, and Se, which can occur in different diseases. This must be categorized and discussed.
◆Question: Can patients with cold dampness and spleen deficiency use dried ginger?
■Answer: For diabetic patients, dried ginger is a good herb. Spleen deficiency does not necessarily require dried ginger; there are also Ren Shen, Huang Qi, and Bai Zhu that can be used. Why specifically use dried ginger? Many diabetic patients with spleen deficiency actually have yin deficiency and excess heat, so a little roasted ginger can be added. It is not necessary to use dried ginger, as the middle earth may not have dampness; if the middle earth and spleen and stomach have already been dried out, using dried ginger will only add to the heat.
However, many diabetic patients have dampness in the middle earth, so dried ginger is still needed. Ultimately, whether to use dried ginger depends on whether the middle earth is damp or dry. If it is dry, Bai Zhu can be used to treat the spleen meridian; Bai Zhu can treat the spleen, while Ren Shen is used less. Use Bai Zhu, Shan Yao, and then add some Gui and Shao to nourish the liver blood.
◆Question: What happens if a patient with yin deficiency and excess heat mistakenly uses bitter cold herbs?
■Answer: Not necessarily. It depends on how you use the bitter cold herbs. For patients with yin deficiency and excess heat, if the middle earth is dry, using Zhibai Dihuang Wan will be very effective. After using it, symptoms will improve quickly. However, if the middle earth is still cold and damp, using bitter cold herbs must be done with caution. Even if you use Zhibai, the middle earth must also use dried ginger and Fu Ling.
◆Question: If a child wears a pouch of dried ginger and cinnamon and drinks fresh ginger water every day, is that okay?
■Answer: This depends on the child’s constitution. If the child has a cold damp constitution from birth, it can be worn for a while. However, if it is an ordinary child, this is not a good thing.
In today’s fast-paced life, children are exposed to many things. Using dried ginger, fresh ginger, and cinnamon can easily disturb their organ qi, leaning towards the active side.
People need to rest. Many people have poor health but live a long time, while some people are very healthy but live a short time. This is due to one being overly active and the other being more reserved.
Fresh ginger is pungent and warm, functions to descend counterflow, stop vomiting, disperse water dampness, and is a good medicine for the taiyin.“
Autumn qi descends and converges, while yangming combines. However, for those with excessive taiyin cold dampness, it can block the yang above, causing the yangming qi to rise and not descend. Fresh ginger can open the descent of the taiyin, allowing the yangming drying qi to enter the water and be sealed within. This applies to those with taiyin cold dampness; if the taiyin earth is dry, it is not suitable, as they prefer cool and moist substances, such as those in the Mai Men Dong Decoction.
This represents two situations and cannot be generalized.
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